The first Euro Music Festival took place in Kyeongju, a historical city in Korea in 1998 and had been held in major cities of Korea such as Seoul, Busan, Pyeongchang, Suwon, Ulsan, Pohang, Jeju and in European cities such as Vienna Austria, Prague Czech, Mainz Germany. It was in 2005 when the festival took the first step in Leipzig Germany and it becomes the 4th year in 2008.

Euro Music Festival, held in Leipzig called the Bach city, is composed of a 4-week run Academy and numerous concert series. World-famous music professors, performing artists, international competitions prize-winners and young musicians from all continents, come.

The Academy is held at the University of Music and Theatre Leipzig, Germany’s oldest music school established in 1843 by Mendelssohn. The 4-week run Academy is taught by internationally renowned faculty. In 2008, it is held from July 21st to August 15th. The courses are piano, violin, viola, violoncello, flute, horn, singing, guitar, organ, chamber music.

In 2007, chamber music was actively performed by participants. They practiced in groups for 2 weeks, were taught by the professors of chamber music and played in various chamber music concerts. This became a good chance for participants to develop their own musical skills and to learn partnership. Chamber music becomes challenging and enjoyable experience for participants, who feel satisfied that their participation in chamber music is very valuable. These for Euro Music Festival are well reflected Mendelssohn’s firm conviction the finest musical education must include both chamber music and the opportunity for intellectual reflection.

In addition to chamber music, there are various programs such as lecture, group lesson, and tour to musical places. These programs provide participants to gain various musical experiences.

Euro Music Festival presents an interesting series of concerts played by world-virtuosic and promising-young artists. The concerts receive a huge response from audience and critic.
Festival concerts are gala opening concert, solo recital and chamber music by the professors and guest artists, concerts by young artists who are winners of world renowned competitions, orchestra or chamber orchestra concerts, the distinguished participants concerts, Former-year scholarship awardee concerts, and academy concerts.
Concerts are held in major institutions and concert halls in Leipzig city such as Gewandhaus, Old Stock Exchange, Schumann House, Mendelssohn House, Kurt Masur Hall, The Federal Administrative Court, the University of Music and Theater Leipzig, etc.

Festival concerts will be advertised actively domestic and overseas, including the advertisements at the main lines of tram or bus, at main spots of the city center, or by brochure placed at hotels in Leipzig, world-music magazines, mass media publicizing, etc.

Leipzig has a unique history that musicians started their music study and completed their musical education from the masters in Leipzig.
Leipzig is where Mendelssohn and Bach taught, and where Richard Wagner was born and became a musician. Wagner learned harmonics in Leipzig and after 2 years of creative work, just at the age of 15, he completed the first work, the great tragedy “Leubald and Adelaide”. Another fact to focus is that the first music conservatory in Germany was established by Mendelssohn. These historical facts proved the prelude which makes Leipzig a famous music-city in the world. And then, an international festival like Euro Music Festival is an essential element to keep this kind of abundant traditions develop, says Mr. Burkhart Jung, the Mayor of Leipzig. He also said, the numerous concerts of Euro Music Festival are filling the annual-events calendar of Leipzig.
The Leipzig citizens are also highly interested in Euro Music Festival. As an example of it, Professor Gerald Fauth, co-artistic director of Euro Music Festival, came across an old lady in the street, who said, I and my friend wish summer would come soon because there is Euro Music Festival.
The public interest stimulates participants and convinces them of the value of joining the festival.

Professor Choong Mo Kang, co-artistic director says, “Euro Music Festival has been founded in 1998 and we are very proud that the quality of the festival has grown to become a world-class festival. Furthermore, it is becoming one of the most interesting cultural events as a yearly project for the city of Leipzig in summer. Our goal is to develop an inter-cultural exchange of artists and students from all over the world by experiencing various musical activities through master classes and series of performances. So far, it has been a great success and we are proud to say that the value and appreciation are growing every year.”

Each year, in June and in August, Euro Music Festival makes a chance to create the center of music at Germany’s oldest music academy with modern facilities, the University of Music and Theater Leipzig where the spirit of Felix Mendessohn Bartholdy is still alive and breathes. And the Leipzig city reverberates with the echoes of the music from Euro Music Festival.

In the academy, music students come from all over the world and learn better skills, technique and expression ability from prominent professors’ teaching.
60 professors from world-music universities join the faculty of 2008, including Karl-Heinz Kämmerling, Hermann Baumann, Maria Kliegel, Gerald Fauth, Choong Mo Kang, Tamas Ungar, Fabio Bidini and many more.

Leipzig is where many artists lived such as Bach, Goethe, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Wagner, Schiller. Leipzig boasts the outstanding musical traditions like the very famous Gewandhaus orchestra, Leipzig Oper, Tomas Church Boys Choir that Bach conducted from 1723 to 1750 until he died.
Leipzig is a geographically well located city. The central station located at city center is one of the largest terminal stations, and one of the largest passenger-railway stations in Europe. By train from there, a one day tour can be enjoyed to neighboring cities like Berlin, Weimar, Jena, Wittenburg, Meisen, Erfurt, Dresden and even to neighboring countries like Prague.

How about coming to Leipzig where the spirit of famous composers and musicians is alive in all parts of city this summer?